Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres recall Luke Adam from Amerks on emergency basis

With winger Marcus Foligno out for the season, the Buffalo Sabres today recalled Luke Adam from the Rochester Americans on an emergency basis.

The Sabres play tonight in Detroit against the Red Wings.

This is Adam’s third recall this season. The 23-year-old has one goal and one point in 10 NHL games.

Adam has 27 goals and 47 points in 63 AHL games.

The injury-ravaged Sabres are down 10 players.

Update: In a paper move ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno likely done for season

Buffalo Sabres winger Marcus Foligno will likely miss the final six games of the season after his right leg buckled early in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

The injury 1:58 into the game looked gruesome – Foligno got tangled with St. Louis’ Roman Polak, causing his leg to bend awkwardly as he fell – but Sabres coach Ted Nolan said it wasn’t as bad as it appeared.

“But he’s going to be ... Read the full article

Unlikely heroics from Ville Leino and Nathan Lieuwen lift Sabres to shootout win against Devils

BUFFALO – Nine rounds into Tuesday’s shootout, Sabres coach Ted Nolan turned to John Scott on the bench.

“Watch the crowd go crazy on this one,” Nolan told the winger after sending out Ville Leino, the fans’ No. 1 whipping boy, with a chance to win the game.

Sure enough, instead of booing Leino, who has zero goals in 53 games this season, the capacity crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson happy with move to wing

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan doesn’t want to project his lineup too far into the future. But the Sabres coach said he must evaluate his top six forwards these last two weeks so they receive enough ice time next season.

If Tyler Ennis and Zemgus Girgensons are his top centers, where does that leave Cody Hodgson?

For the time being, on the left wing, a position Hodgson had played once in his career before ... Read the full article

Sabres sign Justin Kea to entry-level deal, reportedly close to inking Jake McCabe

BUFFALO – The Sabres today signed forward Justin Kea to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Kea, the 73^rd overall pick in 2012, compiled 51 goals and 117 points in 253 games over four seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit. The 20-year-old had a career-high 22 goals, 49 points and plus-14 rating in 58 games this season.

Kea, 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, is expected to report to AHL Rochester soon on an amateur tryout ... Read the full article

With junior season over, Sabres send prospect Mikhail Grigorenko to Amerks

BUFFALO – In a not-so-surprising move, the Sabres today assigned 19-year-old center Mikhail Grigorenko to the Rochester Americans.

The Russian’s junior season with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts ended last week, making him eligible to play in the AHL.

Interim coach Ted Nolan hinted Saturday the Sabres would send Grigorenko to the Amerks, where he played two playoff games last season.

Since he had junior eligibility left, the NHL rejected Grigorenko’s AHL conditioning assignment in November. ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Matt Hackett still confident he can grab top job

BUFFALO – Nothing has changed, Matt Hackett said. Forget that he was enduring a terrible season in Rochester before injuries forced his recall. Forget that general manager Tim Murray recently said the Sabres’ goalie of the future likely wasn’t in the organization.

Hackett, a key piece of April’s Jason Pominville trade with the Wild, hasn’t lost much confidence. The 24-year-old still believes he can become the team’s No. 1 netminder, a coveted spot that’s up ... Read the full article

Memories of playing with Dominik Hasek special for Sabres’ Matt Ellis

BUFFALO – One current Sabre, forward Matt Ellis, played with legendary goalie Dominik Hasek, who was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame prior to Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning inside the First Niagara Center.

Ellis played 16 games as a rookie with Detroit in 2006-07, Hasek’s 15^th NHL season. Incredibly, Hasek posted a 2.05 goals-against average and .913 save percentage as 42-year-old that year.

“He was a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ville Leino out again tonight; Ted Nolan says contract isn’t done

BUFFALO – What the heck is going on with Sabres forward Ville Leino?

Interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said the Finn, who left Thursday’s 6-1 loss in Nashville early after experiencing some lightheadedness, was evaluated and came to this morning’s skate.

“He was doing OK and then just before going on the ice he didn’t feel very well again,” Nolan said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning inside the ... Read the full article

Sabres recall rookies Johan Larsson and Rasmus Ristolainen from Amerks

With winger Torrey Mitchell and defenseman Tyler Myers questionable for Thursday’s game in Nashville, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled rookies Johan Larsson and Rasmus Ristolainen from Rochester, according to WHTK’s Rob Sanderson.

UPDATE: The Sabres have officially recalled Larsson and Ristolainen on an emergency basis.

Both played in the Americans’ 3-1 loss to Milwaukee tonight.

Larsson, and Swedish forward, has 15 goals and 39 points in 45 AHL games and one assist in ... Read the full article